Francisco (Frankie) Mateo

Happy Birthday Frankie. We love and miss you beyond belief.

Frankie was one of the most talented actors I have ever coached in my life. He made acting class as fun it could possibly be by shining as bright as he did.

His super power was uniting everyone together in conversation. I'd step away from the computer while everyone was quiet and say "Frankie's in charge!" and when I came back everyone would be chatting it up, laughing, sharing stories.

He would write scenes for other actors, be their steadfast reader (nobody was a better reader and scene partner than Frankie) and even memorize both sides of a scene just so someone would always have a scene partner. He went above and beyond every step of the way.

HIs acting work was alive, spontaneous, free, heartbreaking, hilarious, and beyond truthful. He's already missed dearly, and will be missed forever in the acting community and by his friends.

Rest in peace Frankie. You'll continue to inspire us from beyond with the work we got to experience from you...

Frankie, I just wanted to tell you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your friendship, your advice and all your kind words. You lifted me up during with positive words and affirmations. You helped me see things through a different lens and gave me the courage to take care of myself mentally and physically. I’m going to miss our after work conversations , just know I’m still going be reaching out to you for advice. You will always be a huge part of my life. Until we see each other again, my friend. ❤️

Frankie, working with you since last April has been such a privilege. You were an incredible human being. Your view of the world was empathic, curious, adventurous, and loving. My heart broke when I found out. Frankie, you were a multifaceted, funny, beautiful human. I am so blessed to have known you.

Frankie, you sweet angel, I remember working with you at the center. I was so happy to know you were coming to TLP. I remember how organized your desk was, all your cute gold stationary. I’ll miss you Frankie. Fly high.

For the past 2 years, Frankie has been meeting with me, and our friends Amina and Brisa every single Thursday. We would talk for hours about various topics, from acting to deeper conversations about life. The loss of Frankie has hit my whole family really hard, so much so that my 9-year-old brother, Michael, who had but one interaction with Frankie, was so moved that he felt compelled to write a small note for him. He has repeatedly insisted that I post it on this site. For context, one time while I was away from my laptop, he walked into my room, and Frankie was on the call. He told me that Frankie smiled, waved to him and said hello. This small interaction left such a strong impression on him that he grieves for Frankie very deeply. I had no idea of this interaction until recently, so hearing about it was very heartwarming. It highlights the strong impact that Frankie had on people. It was enough to see his radiant face and smile just to fully understand the kind of incredible person he was.

Here is what Michael wrote:
"My dearest Frankie, you are the most supportive person I have met. You were very helpful to my sister. I remember when I saw you, I knew you were a great, successful and supportive person. But now you're zooming around somewhere in the clouds. Now you are free. Just last thing to say is I love you to the universe and back infinity times around. You're like my big brother, Francisco Mateo."

I’m struggling to find the right words, but I wanted to say how much you will be missed. You were more than a coworker you were a friend, and working alongside you was a privilege.
Your kindness, humor, and presence made a real difference, and the impact you had on the people around you won’t be forgotten. I’m grateful for the moments we shared and the memories I’ll always carry with me.

You will always be remembered. Te extrañaremos mi querido Frankie 🤍

First of all I would like to express my deepest condolences to Frankie's mum, family, all friends and all people who love him.

The horrible news and his passing left a big hole and emptiness in my heart and my soul. I still can't believe this happened. I am a mother of Frankie's friend, we have never met and lived in different parts of the world but all our family loved Frankie very much. We called him our Frankie boy and even my 9 y.o. son Michael told us that it felt like we have lost a member of our family and it really felt like that. He was such an amazing, selfless, kind, generous, caring person with the most beautiful heart and soul. He was always helping, supporting and encouraging my daughter, Galina, and he was making her life much more interesting, fulfilling and challenging. He was a very special and dearest friend to her who made her feel very talented and unique as he was himself. I think his mission in life was to help and support other people, and help them to believe in themselves and achieve all their goals and dreams. He was the rarest person whom if you meet once you will never forget. He was one in a million.

I was so lucky that I had a chance to talk to him on the phone and had an opportunity to thank him for all the help, support and for his friendship with Galina. Funnily, we both were born on the same date, 11th of April, and of course we connected immediately, and it felt like I was talking to my old friend. I had a chance to tell him how special he was for my daughter and for our family and how much we loved him, and of cours,e how talented, amazing, kind and special he was. I am so happy I got to do it, otherwise I would have regretted it forever. He knew he was loved and cared for by our family, and he could count on us if he needed some help or advice. I told him that he should follow his dreams, go for it and get an Oscar as he deserved and thank all the people who pushed him away, as it made him stronger. He promised to thank me instead and we laughed.

So, my dearest boy Frankie, please come back and fulfil all your dreams and promises in your next life journey. I am sure you are watching us and smiling at us, saying that you are happy up there and feel very blessed with all the people who dearly love you. You believed in all of your friends, and were helping them to be the best people they could possibly be and dream very high.

I think that the best tribute for Frankie would be if everyone whom he helped and supported would achieve everything they want and create something special in his honour so he can live and be remembered forever in their projects, songs, awards, films, books,etc.

My dearest boy, you will be loved and missed forever by all of us. You have touched and impacted so many lives and hearts that this is the best award for any person who lives on earth, and you are definitely getting an Oscar and standing ovations from all of us. You will be forever with us in our hearts, souls and thoughts, and we will miss you forever.

Love you to the moon and back millions of times,

Rose from New Zealand

I can't believe I'm writing this. Frankie, you were one of the best people of all time. Just GOOD. Good right down to your core. You were incredibly talented and funny and gentle. A lot of people have been saying this, but I'm going to echo it: you made everyone feel safe and loved. A rare type of person whose goodness was almost palpable. Your talent behind the mic was endlessly inspiring (and soothing! Remember how everyone would say, "Oh, Frankie's narrating this spot. Everything's going to be okay!" ?) You just had a grace about you that few people do, and you extended it selflessly, over and over, to others. You were kindness and goodness personified. What an honor and a privilege it was to know you. I hope we all see each other again. Go make 'em laugh up there.

My heart shattered into a million pieces when I read that you were gone. I'm saddened by the fact that I never got to meet you in person, but glad that I had the pleasure to work alongside you as my scene partner. Frankie was an amazing soul; diamond in the rough if you will. He always had something encouraging to say, regardless if his day wasn't so great. We had a couple of things in common, which is why we got along so well. Cheers to you, Frankie and thank you for always bring joy into my life. You will truly be missed. Love you and miss you already. 💔 Te extrañare mucho, querido Frankie.

For as long as I’ve known him, Frankie has always been, to me, the epitome of an exemplary friend and person. He always prioritised the well-being and success of those around him, and gave his time and energy selflessly and willingly. He cared deeply not only about those in his life but also about the well-being of the world at large and wasn't afraid to speak out against what he deemed unjust.

Even though we lived on opposite ends of the world, to me, he was like family, and his love and support knew no geographical bounds. He was a brother to me in every sense of the word, and talking to him always made me feel safe and comforted. He once told me that if I ever needed to get out of a dodgy date, I could call him and he would figure out a way to get me to safety. Mind you, I live in New Zealand, and he lived in LA. That was just the kind of person he was. Fiercely loyal and protective of those he cared about.

It’s hard to count the endless hours he spent helping me with various auditions and self-tapes. In the time that I had known him, he never once turned me away. He always showed up, dealing with all my bursts of self-doubt and overthinking with patience, understanding and care. He loved creating and understood the tumultuousness of the creative process like no other.
His undying love for creating meaningful art and telling stories through various mediums, whether they were acting, singing, photography or fashion, was very inspirational and contagious. He had so much potential and talent to give to the world, and the world deserved to see more of him and the person he was.

Frankie, I love you endlessly. Thank you for all the love, support, patience, encouragement, deep chats and laughs. Thursdays will never be the same, but we will keep creating and following our passion in your honour, as you always wanted, and we will make you proud. You have taught me so much about what it means to be a good person and friend, and I will forever carry those lessons with me.

Having you in my life has been the biggest honour, and I will always love and miss you.

Until we meet again… 🌱

I met Frankie twice through acting class. We did some scenes together. He is such a sweet person (yes, is, because he has not vanished) He is still with us just in a different form, he is energy now. His soul is with his beloved ones.
He was very funny and an amazing actor, I remember the day I shared the screen with him, I told my mom theres this really nice funny guy in my class and he was incredible - That was Frankie to me. All my love and condolences to his family and friends.

In Loving Memory

You paved the road for all of us.

In a family that once believed there were “no gays in the Mateo family,” you were the first to stand fearless and honest, even when it meant breaking the illusion of a perfect traditional image. You faced discrimination, whispers, and judgment—not for rebellion, but for truth. And because of you, the rest of us learned that being ourselves does not bring dishonor, but dignity.

Your courage opened minds and softened hearts. You made it possible for others in our family to come out without fear, to be accepted without conditions, and to live authentically while still being loved. That is no small legacy—it is a profound one.

Our bond was unique, and I wish I had told you this while you were still here. But know this: your life mattered deeply. You were the first. The brave one. The one who carried the weight so others wouldn’t have to.

Because of you, we are free to be who we are.

Your legacy lives on in us—always.

Frankie,

My brother, my friend. I hope you know how much of an impact you made on so many people. Your smile, your humor, your love, just by being yourself. I'm both grateful and happy our lives crossed paths. We understood each other in ways where words were obsolete. I'm so thankful you considered me a little sister and I'll always have you in my heart. I don't know how to say goodbye to you so I won't. We'll meet again my brother. May you rest in peace. I love you.

-Gaby

Frankie, Although we never met in person, our connection was real and meaningful. What began through the virtual world became something much more human. You were never just an audition reader to me you were someone I genuinely cared about. You always showed up with kindness, reliability, and a gentle spirit that I could feel every time we connected on zoom. When you shared your health struggles, my compassion for you only grew, and I truly wished comfort and healing for you. I am grateful for your kindness, consistency, and the warmth you brought into every interaction. I will cherish the time we shared. You will be remembered with appreciation and love. May you rest in peace.

I miss you…But I know you already know this.

You are one of my most favorite people in this whole entire world & not having you here, with us, is hard to wrap my mind around. Your unconditional friendship, caring energy, loving soul, unwavering support is something I’m forever thankful for having in my life.
Did I mention I miss you…
I hope you are smiling down on all of us, your favorite people, still watching over us & still sending us all your unconditional love & support from wherever your soul has found its way to.
I miss you.

It's not everyday that you meet someone who makes you feel comfortable to be yourself. In a world that struggles to accept people for who they are, Frankie was the type of person who made it easy for you to do so. He was never judgmental. He was sincere, caring and rooted for you every step of the way.

My conversations with Frankie could last for hours. We could laugh about the silliest things one minute and then be knee-deep getting philosophical about life and our dreams. Frankie and I both come from Latino backgrounds, something we were both immensely proud of. We often bonded over our wish to see more of our people represented on screen, and smiled at the thought of it.

Though we never got the chance to meet in person, it's not lost on me how one individual's soul can shine through a computer screen and threads of texts messages. It proves that no matter where you are, you can find human connection if you're willing to give each other the chance.

Frankie, I will miss your kind heart and the sound of your voice. I'll miss your obsession with Britney Spears and the early 2000s, your love for acting, your infectious laugh, your incredible talent, our deep conversations and our weekly Thursday calls with Galina and Amina. I looked forward to them every week. Thursdays will never be the same.

Wherever you are, I hope you're shining bright. I hope you're putting on a show. I'm jealous of whoever gets to witness it. I miss you and I love you. Thank you for being my friend.

Frankie,

I feel lucky for the time I had getting to know you. You were such a beautiful person, the type of person we need in the world. Your gentle and soothing presence made those around you feel at ease and safe. The people in your life loved you immensely and will mourn your absence for the rest of their lives. I will miss you, and miss the lost opportunity to get to know you better. As time passes, I hope to learn about your life and all that made you, you. We all have something to learn from you. Much love, Galen

Frankie made the mundane beautiful.

He was what the world needed, and we were all lucky to have lived at the same time as him.
He was someone who gave his all to everything he did, whether that was leaving a hot take in a comment section or being a shoulder to cry on when everything felt impossible.
There is no one else like Frankie. He had so many passions, and he was phenomenal at all of them. The effect he had on someone within minutes was feeling safe, welcome, and inspired.
Frankie, I will miss you forever. In the beautiful years that I knew you, you made me believe in a world where it’s okay to be ourselves. I think I speak for everyone who crossed paths with you feels the same way. You brought a kindness that this world needs, a love to your friends that made us feel seen and understood.
You are such a beautiful person. There were so many incredible moments in these last few years where we watched someone with so much talent pursue their dream. I would do anything to get to see you accomplish everything you wanted to. You deserved more time.
We will never forget the way you cared for everyone. Galina, Brisa, and I will miss seeing you every week on Thursday. We will miss hearing your laughter and seeing your smile that made our day infinitely better. We will miss your calming and safe presence; it is irreplaceable.

Knowing you was one of the biggest gifts of my life.
I will love and miss you forever and after that.